Lobelia plant named ‘Tech Hepdab’

ABSTRACT

A new  Lobelia  plant named ‘Tech Hepdab,’ particularly distinguished by deep blue flowers with distinct white eyes, deep green foliage, initially upright stems, semi-upright, medium vigor, and about medium sized, mounding plant habit with long inflorescences above the foliage, and relatively good heat tolerance.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Lobeliaerinus.

Varietal denomination: ‘Tech Hepdab’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia,botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name ‘Tech Hepdab’.

‘Tech Hepdab’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The newcultivar originated from a hybridization made in June 2005 in Andijk,Netherlands.

The female parent was an unpatented proprietary Lobelia plant designated‘LOB04-315-2’ with dark blue flowers. ‘LOB04-315-2’ has larger leavesand has a less upright plant habit than ‘Tech Hepdab’.

The male parent of ‘Tech Hepdab’ was an unpatented proprietary Lobeliaplant designated ‘LOB04-307-4’ having blue flowers with white eyes.‘LOB04-307-4’ has a larger plant habit with longer stems than ‘TechHepdab’.

The resulting seeds were sown in October 2005. ‘Tech Hepdab’ wasselected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated crossin January 2006 in a controlled environment in Andijk, Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Tech Hepdab’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in thespring of 2006 in a controlled environment in Andijk, Netherlands.

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in the spring of 2007 in Andijk, Netherlands, and inHillscheid, Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated thatthe combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Tech Hepdab’are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

‘Tech Hepdab’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

A Plant Breeders' Right for this cultivar was applied for with theEuropean Union on Jul. 21, 2008. ‘Tech Hepdab’ has not been madepublicly available more than one year prior to the filing of thisapplication.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new Lobelia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant in full color. Thecolors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures. The photograph, taken in late May 2008, is ofthree 13–14 week old plants grown in a 25 cm diameter pot/bowl in agreenhouse during a spring trial setting. The inset shows a close viewof a single flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The measurements were taken in Hillscheid, Germany, on Aug. 30, 2008 on22 week old plants that were growing in 25 cm diameter bowls indoors andhanging baskets outdoors under rain protection. Culture of these plantshad started in late March 2008 with planting of rooted cuttings into 12cm pots. The young plants were pinched once. Cultivation was on benchesin a greenhouse at relatively cool temperatures.

Color chart used: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.),2001.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describeplants grown indoors and outdoors in Andijk, Netherlands, and inHillscheid, Germany. The following traits have been repeatedly observedand are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. Thecombination of these characteristics distinguishes this Lobelia as a newand distinct variety:

-   -   1. Relatively large, dark blue flowers with a distinct white        eye.    -   2. Deep green foliage, lanceolate leaves.    -   3. Well branched, moderately tight, mounding plant habit.    -   4. Medium vigor and about medium in size.    -   5. Relatively good heat tolerance (for a Lobelia) due to the        partly pubescent stem and leaf surfaces.

COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Tech Hepdab’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Laguna Compact BlueWith Eye’ (‘Lobetis,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,112) in that ‘Tech Hepdab’has darker blue flowers, deeper green foliage and more upright habitthan ‘Lobetis’.

‘Tech Hepdab’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Techno Blue’ (‘LobBule,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,250) in that ‘Tech Hepdab’ has darker blueflowers with a more distinct eye and more upright plant habit than ‘LobBule’.

‘Tech Hepdab’ differs from ‘Tech Darbule’ (U.S. plant application Ser.No. 12/284,571) by somewhat larger flowers, even deeper blue overallflower color and different markings on petals: ‘Tech Hepdab’ has tworelatively large white ‘eyes,’ while ‘Tech Darbule’ has two small whitemacules and 3 dark blue dots. Additionally, ‘Tech Hepdab’ developssomewhat stronger anthocyanin coloration of the sepals, and has agenerally more upright plant habit than ‘Tech Darbule’.

-   Plant:    -   -   Growth and habit.—Medium vigor, bushy plant habit with            initially upright directed stems, later semi-upright and            mounding, Moderately tight.        -   Form.—Mounding, semi-spherical shape.        -   Height.—21–22 cm (from top of soil) for 22 week old plants.        -   Width (diameter).—40–45 cm.        -   Plant spread (including flowers).—Approximately 30–35 cm,            from the base of the main stem to the tips of the branches.        -   Number of branches.—Roughly 70–80.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—About 12 weeks            for a 12 cm pot.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Used in patio containers, in            hanging baskets or in mixed container plantings mainly.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—Approximately 24 days at            20–24° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous and freely branching.-   Stem:    -   -   Characteristics.—Cross section square with slightly            strengthened corners, side branches emerging mainly from the            lower nodes of the stem.        -   Stem length.—25–32 cm.        -   Diameter.—2–3 mm.        -   Internode length.—1.0–2.5 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 137A.        -   Texture.—Covered with pubescence.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate to elliptical, oblanceolate, on            flowering stems usually narrow lanceolate, sessile, no            distinct petiole.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate to cuneate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Leaf length (in flowering stage).—Up to 5.0 cm.        -   Leaf width.—Up to 1.5 cm.        -   Color upper surface.—RHS 137A or RHS 139A, young leaves at            the shoot tips can be both lighter in color, or deep green            with a shade of anthocyanin (purple).        -   Color lower surface.—RHS 138A.        -   Venation type.—Pinnate.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: Indistinct, same as the leaf            blade. Lower surface: RHS 144A.        -   Texture.—Both surfaces covered with short hair, sparse on            the upper surface.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous through the growing season from            spring to the fall.        -   Start of flowering.—About 10 weeks after planting of rooted            cuttings in spring        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—5–7 days,            depending on temperature mainly.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Type of inflorescence.—Terminal raceme.        -   Quantity of flowers per stem.—Most often 3 to 5 open            flowers, and additional buds.        -   Length of inflorescence.—14–17 cm.        -   Length of peduncle.—12–15 cm.        -   Diameter of peduncle.—2.5 mm.        -   Color of peduncle.—Deep green, RHS 137A.        -   Texture of peduncle.—Rough with short hair, hirtellous.-   Flower:    -   -   Corolla type and shape.—Single, zygomorphic; lower part tube            to funnel shaped, with the petal lobes opening outwards; and            2 small petals upright directed and 3 mainly fused petals            forming the lower lip.        -   Corolla flower diameter, length.—1.9–2.1 cm.        -   Flower width.—2.0–2.2 cm.        -   Tube/funnel length.—0.9 cm.        -   Tube diameter.—0.4 cm.        -   Color upper surface.—RHS 95A to 95B, deep blue.        -   Color lower surface.—Somewhat variable, from RHS 96D to 97A            and 97B, color fading towards base.        -   Markings in the center.—Relatively large white ‘eye,’ RHS            155D, and 2 yellow green ‘spots’ N144A.-   Petal (lobes):    -   -   Apex.—Mucronulate.        -   Base.—Fused, forming a tube or narrow funnel.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Both surfaces mainly glabrous, short hair along the            edges and the veins in the eye zone.        -   Lower lip, length.—1.0–1.2 cm.        -   Lower lip, width.—1.8–2.0 cm.        -   Upper lobes, length (from the corolla opening).—0.7–0.8 cm.        -   Upper lobes, width.—2.3 mm.        -   Lower lobes, length (from the corolla opening).—Up to 1.2            cm.        -   Lower lobes, width.—0.7–0.8 cm.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Shape.—Elongate.        -   Diameter.—0.4–0.5 cm.        -   Length.—1.2–1.4 cm.        -   Color (at tight bud).—RHS 95C to mainly 97A, light blue.-   Calyx:    -   -   Form and shape.—5 sepals, fused at the base, slanting            upwards.        -   Sepal color.—RHS 139A, dark green with a trace of            anthocyanin, for both surfaces.        -   Length.—0.7–0.8 cm.        -   Width.—0.1–0.2 mm.        -   Shape of sepal.—Ligulate.        -   Apex.—Acute, pointed.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Texture.—Densely covered by short hair, both surfaces.-   Pedicles:    -   -   Color.—RHS 137C, green.        -   Length.—2.0–2.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.        -   Texture.—Covered by short hair.-   Reproductive organs:-   Stamens:    -   -   Quantity.—5, coherent.        -   Filament, color.—RHS 96A to 96D, fading towards base        -   Filament length.—0.7–0.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.        -   Anther color.—Approximately RHS N200A.        -   Pollen amount.—Sparse.        -   Pollen color.—RHS 8B.-   Pistil:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—One, capitate.        -   Length.—1.3 cm.        -   Stigma color.—Near RHS N79D, dull purple.        -   Style color.—RHS 145A.-   Fruit and seed set: Has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Disease resistance or susceptibility other    than typical for the species has not been observed on this hybrid.

1. A new and distinct variety of Lobelia plant named ‘Tech Hepdab,’substantially as illustrated and described herein.